Meeting targets remote health care

Preparations are well advanced for the fifth Remote Health Experience at Charles Darwin University’s Katherine Rural campus, which starts this Friday.

Flinders NT Katherine Site Director Associate Professor Pascale Dettwiller said the three-day event was designed to boost participants’ ability to provide health care in a remote location, often with limited resources and little help.

“There are many differences that distinguish remote medicine from hospital medicine,” Dr Dettwiller said.

“A health practitioner in a remote corner of the Northern Territory will need skills and knowledge, but they also need the ability to communicate cross-culturally, work with professionals from a variety of health disciplines, and have the confidence to be innovative and competent in a life-and-death situation.”

Dr Dettwiller said attendees would include nursing and pharmacy students from Charles Darwin University, medical students from the Flinders University NT Medical Program and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner students from Batchelor Institute.

“There is much to be done to improve health outcomes among Indigenous communities so it is critical that we develop a health workforce that is properly trained for Territory conditions.”

Dr Dettwiller said 2016 would mark the 10th anniversary of the Remote Clinical School, which runs the Remote Health Experience.

The theme of this year’s conference, “Walking in each other’s shoes – Honouring each other’s stories”, is designed to help participants attain a better understanding of the roles of other practitioners in remote clinical practice.

The Remote Health Experience is an initiative of Flinders University, Charles Darwin University and Batchelor Institute. The program is funded by Flinders University Northern Territory.